Occupant propelled roundabout



F. F. OTOOLE OCCUPANT PROPELLED ROUNDABOUT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June4, 1946 l IVENTOR. F'Loyg'FOToole ATTE R N EYB Aug. 17, 1948. F F OTOOLE2,447,203

OCCUPANT PROPELLED ROUNDABOUT Filed Junev 4, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR.

ATTE! RN EYE' Patented Aug. 17, 1948 OCCUPAN T PROPELLED ROUNDABOUTFloyd F. OToole, LAnse, Mich. Application June 4, 1946,4 Serial No.674,164

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a, toy or amusement device that is adapted foruse either indoors or outdoors as desired by the user thereof.

An object of the invention is to provide a device whereby the userthereof may obtain a circular ride, accompanied by an ascending anddescending motion of a roller engaging member that will aid the userthereof in propelling himself in a circular motion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device that is simple tooperate, durable in use and can be inexpensively manufactured.

With the above and vother objects and advantages in View, the inventionconsists of the novel details of construction, arrangement andcombination of parts more fully hereinafter described, claimed andillustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side view thereof;

Figure 3 is similar to Figure 2 but with the carriage moved to a ninetydegree angle with reference to Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional View on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 1 and Figure 6 isa sectional View on the line 6-6 of Figure 4,

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral I8'indicates a circular track having a. conveXo-concave upper surface l2and the inclined sides I4 of the convex portion being shorter than thedeclines I6.

Secured to the track IIJ in seats I8 formed in the bottom peripheraledge thereof in cross relation to each other are the brace members 28and 22 respectively. At the point of crossing at their medial point, thebraces are recessed to form a flush surface and are joined by fasteners24. The brace member 2'2 is provided with a seat 26 to receive the head28 of the pin 3U, which extends upwardly in vertical relation to themembers 20 and 22. The fasteners 24 also secure to the members 28 and22, the post 32 through which the pin 30 extends, and a metal bearingsurface 34 is secured to the upper edge of the post by fasteners 3B.Mounted for rotation on the bearing surface 34 is a second bearingsurface 31 having the circular flange collar 38 thereon which engagesthe upper end of the pin 38 and a propeller arm 48 is provided with acircular seat 42 at its medial point to receive the collar 38 andoppositely directed set screws 44 secure the arm to the collar and pin30.

Z The arm 40 is widest at its medial portion, and tapers inwardly alongits marginal edges toward the outer ends thereof, and adjacent the outerends bearings 46 are provided to receive the vertical shaft 48 havingthe lower forked end 50 for journalling therein,` the axle 5'2 of Wheel54 which engages the upper surface of the track Ill. The shaft 48 isprovided with a rib 56 which engages a keyway 6D in the bearing 46 toprevent rotation of the shaft and the shaft is threaded at its upper endat 58 to receive the threaded collar 62 of the plate 64 secured to thefoot rest 66 by fasteners 68, and a coil spring 10 mounted on the shaft48 engages the bearing 48 at its lower end and the plate 64 at its upperend.

Secured to the arm 48 adjacent the shaft 48 by fasteners 12 is a secondfoot rest 14 and these rests are used as will be later described for theoperation of the toy.

Secured to one end of the rest 14 by fasteners 18 is an angle bracket16, and an upright is s-ecured by fasteners 32 to the bracket. The upperend of the upright 88 has a handle 84 secured crosswise thereof byfasteners 86 and this upright in conjunction with the complementaryopposed upright provides means for propelling the arm 40.

The toy is operated in the manner of a scooter, wherein the user placesone foot on the rest 14 and pro-pels the arm with the other foot. As thearm approaches the decline, the propelling foot is placed on the footrest 66 to depress the rest, in order to engage the wheel 54 with theupper surface of the track. The weight of the occupant is then shiftedto the foot on the foot rest 66 to insure sufficient force to maintainthe arm 40 in operation. As the rollerrstarts up the incline the rest isreleased and the weight of the occupant is lagain shifted to thenonpropelling foot and the foot rest is not again engaged until theroller is again over the d-ecline. Thus the user is moved forward in hiscircular ride by gravitational force when his weight carries the rollerdown the incline. The spring will raise the roller out of contact withthe track when the foot of the user is released therefrom.

It is believed that the operation and construction of the invention willbe apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is to be understood thatchanges in the details of construction, arrangement and combination ofparts may be resorted to, providing they fall within the spirit of theinvention and the lscope of the appended claims.

Having `thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A device of the character described, comprising a circular track,elevated portions at di- 'ametrically opposed positions on the uppersurface of said track, the declines of said track being longer than theinclines thereof, an arm rotatably mounted at the center of said track,a xed foot rest and a movable foot rest on said arm at its oppositeends, a spring pressed roller secured to said movable foot rest forengagement with the upper surface of said track, upon depression of saidmovable foot rest.

10 over said surface,

FLOYD F. OTOOLE.

